Two Weeks

I can hardly imagine that the trip is just two weeks away. My goodness, where has the time gone? As such, I've decided it might just be time for me to start getting serious in my planning. I'm researching the most economical way to use our dollars in England. Charge, debit, chip and pin? The last method is one Matt told me about. It's like a prepaid debit card which sounds like it has some advantages. I took my Rick Steves Great Britain book to the museum today, reading his take on money. He likes cash. And money belts which sounds pretty dreadful to me. I'm puzzling...

As well, I'm still worried about what kind of clothes to bring. Every one says layers, which is all fine and dandy, but what if it's hot and all I've got are sleeves, sweaters and jeans? Decisions, decisions. I'm like Scarlett O'Hara in that regard--if I don't have to make a decision today, I definitely will put it off until tomorrow.

So, I was looking out our bedroom window which is shaded by a nicely full ligustrum tree. What's that I wondered? Heading outside with my camera, I photographed this weirdness:

I suspect it is from maybe a spider or some kind of bug, however, that is purely a guess as it's not something I've seen before. Any ideas? I took this a few days ago knowing you would surely want to see something unusual. Checking this morning I discovered it was spreading up the limbs. Reminds me of the white stockings I wore when I began x-ray school 40 years ago this month. 40 years!!! Cannot believe it.

Yesterday morning after attending to my market business I drove over to College Park to see if there were other homes worthy of the calendar. Plus, you have to provide the address, so I brought my little notebook, writing down each time I took a shot. This house, right across from the lake, decided they no longer wanted to mow grass, instead making a little flower jungle. Mostly I took this one because our dad used to drive this car.

How in heaven's name he afforded it, I'll never know. Probably all the money he saved from our shoe shining ways. Plus, we turned off a lot of lights! Check out this very cool door from the pre-air conditioning days:

Sadly, this house had such a messy yard which would never be chosen for the calendar; I didn't even bother to convert it. Love that door though. Plus those numbers.

Three visitors in three hours today. Three. I picked Lou's (docent) brain on his European travels. The gardens still look lovely, although with the extreme heat we're having you have to wonder how much longer the flowers can hang on. Two of Mr. Polasek's most famous statutes here:

I'll tell you watering what I've got takes a bunch of time. Imagine three acres! It threatens to rain and then moves on. Yesterday afternoon Baxter began barking like crazy around 4:30. What's going on Baxter? Why, it was Bruce coming home from the office already. I say already because although he leaves just after 7 in the morning, he rarely returns until 6 or later in the evening. I was fearful something was wrong. Only tired. I suspect he was a bit discouraged as well. More jobs and more jobs. Later in the week he'll be heading to Casper, Wyoming to check on the job he inherited from one of the other project managers. Wyoming was one of the remaining seven or so states he'd not built in. Now it will be six. I don't think that vacation can come a minute too soon for my weary husband.

By now, you are probably sick of me writing about all my sick friends but for once I've got something positive to say. Debbie's daughter phoned last night telling me that her surgery yesterday was successful. As a matter of fact, she was already up making jokes. What a trooper!

Additionally, Corrine is home, looking so much better. She's getting around with her walker, mostly heating up the food her daughter froze while visiting from Alabama. Plus, Roger is back in business, printing once again. In fact, he brought my order to the market on Sunday and I promptly sold one of the small canvases!

Finally, speaking of photography--I'm keeping my vacation photography expectations low. Maybe there will be winners, however, I suspect lots will be merely tourist photographs. Being realistic is only practical.